Casket-truck.



No. 635,755. rammed oci. 3|, |899.

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BASKET TRUCK.

(Application led Aug. 21,' 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES FFICE@ ROBERT W. DIXON, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

GASKET-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 635,7 55, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed August 271, 1899. Serial No. 727,969. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. DIXON,a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Casket-Truck, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to casket-trucks; and it has for its object to provide a construction of this nature which may be folded and unfolded for use under different conditions and to be packed away and in which t-he structure will be rigid and may be prevented from sliding movement when in use.

The construction consists of two sets of lazy-tongs, forming the sides of a frame coinprisin g cross-pieces and uprights,the nprights being adapted to permit lateral expansion of the lazy-tongs when operated.' A pedestal is pivoted to one of the cross-pieces and is adapted to be lowered into operative position to hold the truck stationary and to be folded to lie within the inclosu re of the frame when not in use.

The construction consists also of various details of structure hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings forming a portion of the specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is aside elevation of the truck distended, one of the uprights being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the truck when folded. Fig. 3 is an end View. Fig.4 is a detail view showing a caster-bracket and its connection with the transverse rod or cross-piece and an end of the truck. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partially in section and partially in elevation and showing the connection of the pedestal or supporting-bracket with the intermediate cross-piece.

Referring now to the drawings, the truck consists of two similar lazy-tongs 5 and 6, whick form the sides of the truck, and connecting thelower ends of the outermost downwardly-diverging links 7 and 8 of each tongs is an end cross-piece 9 and 10. The innermost downwardly-converging links 11 and 12 of each lazy-tongs are pivotally connected through the medium of a transverse bar or cross-piece 13 connecting the corresponding portions of the two sets of lazy-tongs.

Mounted upon the cross-piece 13 and adjacent the opposite ends thereof are squared uprights 14 and 15, which are provided with vert-ical recesses, in which are disposed slideblocks 16, projecting above the upright, and each of which blocks is pivotally connected with the innermost pair of upwardly-converging links 17 and 18 through the medium of a common pivot formed by the cross-bar 19, a pin or set-screw 2O being provided for each of these uprights, and through the lnedium of which said blocks may be held against movement. Thus it will be seen that if the pinor set-screw is out of engagement with the block 16 the latter will have a sliding movementin the upright 14 as the lazy-tongs are distended or compressed.

Pivotally mounted upon the cross-bar 9, adjacent each end thereof, is an upright 25 and 26, respectively, the upper ends of these uprights having pivotal connection with the supplemental links 27, which are in turn pivoted to the outermost upwardly-divergin g links 28 and 29, whereby the ends of links 2S and 7 and the links 29 and 8 may mutuallyapproach and recede to permit of operation of the tongs, the links 27 alining with the links 2S and 29, when the truck is distended and lying at a sharp angle thereto, when it is compressed or folded, which latter position is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, this construction preventing the necessity for slotting the links and eliminating the objections to such a construction.

The uprights 14 have their lower ends enlarged, as shown at 30, and bifurcated to receive supporting wheels or rollers 31, the uprights 25 and 26 having their inner faces recessed, as shown at 32 in Fig. 4, toreceive the enlarged outer ends of sleeves 33, disposed loosely upon the cross-bars 9 and 10 and secured to the upright through the medium of screws 34, passed through anges 35 on the sleeves and into the upright. As a result of this connection with the upright the several sleeves 33 are held rigidly in position. Each sleeve 33 has a depending socketed portion 36, in which is rotatably mounted the shank of a caster comprising ears 37 -and a wheel 3S, this rotatable mounting of the caster being of the usual construction and not requiring description.

From the above description it will be seen that when the truck is distended a casket may be placed upon the cross-piece 19 and the cross-pieces 50 and 5l, which latter form the pivotal connections between the supplemental links 27 and their respective uprights, and that the uprights 25 and 26 will prevent outward movement ot the tongs at the ends, while the uprights 14 will prevent sagging of the center, the pin or set-screw 2O being in place to hold the block 16 rigidly. When it is desired to fold the truck for storage, the pin or screw 20 is loosened, and` by pressing the uprights 25 and 26 inwardly the whole structure is caused to assume a more compact form, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the inward extension ot' the sleeves 33 being sufficient to cause the wheels 38 to clear the wheels 31.

Then desired, the truck may be employed as a pedestal by only slightly closing the tongs and then manipulating thc screw or pin 2O to prevent extension. At this time it is desirable to prevent rotary movement or other displacement of the structure, and for this purpose a foot or bracket 55, comprising a sleeve 56, is disposed with its sleeve portion upon the cross -piece 13, the sleeve being adapted for rotary movement upon the crosspiece to permit adjustment of the foot. A set-screw 57, in threaded engagement with the threaded perforation of the sleeve 50, is adapted to hold the latter with the foot in inoperative or in operative position. Then in inoperative position, the lfoot is preferably rotated to lie in the plane of the upright 14. When this foot is lowered, it engages with the floor and prevents movement ofthe truck.

From the above description it will be seen that the truck is adapted for various uses and to caskets of various lengths and that an extremely rigid structure is provided, due to the absence of the usual bolt-and-slot connection, and it will be understood that in practice any desired material and proportions may be employed and that the specific construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what I claim isl. A casket-truck comprising lazy-ton gs including 'supplemental links, uprights connected with the supplemental links and the corresponding main links, cross-pieces connecting the uprights, intermediate uprights connected with intermediate links, blocks in the intermediate upright adapted for sliding movement and connected with adjacent intermediate links, cross-bars connecting the intermediate upright, cross-bars connecting the blocks, and wheels carried by the uprights.

2. A cask et-truck comprising sides consisting of parallel lazy-tongs, uprights connected with the outermost downwardly-diverging links ot' the tongs, supplemental links connected with the outermost upwardly-diverging links, and with the adjacent uprights, uprights connected with the innermost downwardly-converging links, blocks slidably engaged with the last-named uprights and pivotally connected with the innermost upwardly-converging links, cross-bars connecting the corresponding uprights, cross-bars connecting the blocks, and wheels carried by the uprights.

A casket-truck comprising sides consisting of lazy-tongs,uprights pivotally connected with the lazy-tongs at the ends thereof, up= rights pivotally connected with the tongs intermediate their ends, blocks in slidable engage ment with the intermediate uprights and pivotallyconnected with the tongs, connections between the uprights and block at one side and the uprights and block of the opposite side, wheels carried by the uprights, and means for holding the blocks at different points ot' their slidable movement.

Il. A casket-truck comprising sides consisting of lazy-tongs, supplemental links pivoted to the upper ends of the tongs, uprights pivoted to the lower ends of the tongs and to the corresponding supplemental links, and Wheels carried by the uprights.

5. A casket-truck comprising sides consisting of lazy-tongs, supplemental links connected at the upper corners of the tongs, uprights connected with the lower corners of the tongs and with the supplemental links thereabove, uprights `connected with the tongs intermediate their ends, blocks in slidable engagement with the last-named uprights, and having connection with the tongs, and means for holding the blocks at different points of their movement.

G. A casket-truck comprising sides consisting of lazy-ton gs, uprights connected with the tongs, crosspieces connected with the uprights, and a i'oot rotatably mounted upon a cross-piece and having means for clamping it at different points of its rotation.

7. A casket comprising sides consisting of lazy-tongs,uprights connected with the tongs, cross-pieces connected with the uprights, and a foot'rotatably mounted upon across-piece.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT W. DIXON.

Witnesses:

JAMES C. WAUsnR, C. S. OLINGER.

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